A Carolina woman is celebrating her 105th birthday by strapping on her dancing shoes.
Gussie Taylor Dennis was born in Greenville, South Carolina, on Aug. 10, 1917. This year marks her 105th birthday, which she celebrated in her Huntersville home with friends and family.
Dennis decided a dance party would be the perfect way to celebrate her special occasion.
On Wednesday, several family members, including her “baby” sister, 97, joined in for the festivities.
“Thank God that I’ve lived a life that my family came to be with me, the birthday girl,” Dennis said in a touching speech to her family.
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With 105 years of life, Dennis has a rich history, including growing up in Jim Crow South and living through the civil rights era.
According to The Charlotte Post, Dennis, born Gussie Evans, had eight siblings who all worked on a cotton plantation.
She attended Hopewell Elementary and Fountain Inn High School before graduating from Bettis Academy in 1939.
Dennis’s passion for education led her to earn her elementary teacher credentials. She then went on to teach second-grade elementary students.
Dennis married her first husband, having three children before his passing 40 years later. Then, she remarried her true love, moving to Beverly Hills in Los Angeles.
When her second husband passed, she lived with her daughter, Denise Taylor, before moving to Huntersville to be closer to her other children.
“Today is a beautiful day for me,” Dennis said during her birthday party.
“I have all so much fun with the family, and I enjoyed the food. And nine times out of ten, I’ll come back down for a piece of cake.”
We love to see her surrounded by love, family and dancing. You’re never too old to bust a move on the dance floor. Happy Birthday, Gussie!
